My thoughts on the Phillies season.

Now who’s old? Jamie Moyer throws seven shut out innings as the Phillies defeated the Mets, 6-2. Phillies are now a game out of first.

Behind Jamie Moyer, the Phillies have placed themselves a game behind the Mets in the National League East. Moyer defeated the Mets as he threw seven shut out innings, giving up only two infield singles. The Phillies would score their first run in the second inning, when, with runners on second and third and one man out, Matt Stairs would hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Jayson Werth, who has earlier walked and has gone to third on Greg Dobbs’ double, on a ball that right fielder Fernando Tatis would misplay, giving the Phillies a 1-0 lead. The Phillies would increase their lead to 2-0 as Carlos Ruiz would hit a RBI single, scoring Dobbs. The Phillies would then put the game away in the fourth. Ryan Howard would start the inning off with a double. Howard would then move to third on Werth’s single, putting runners on the corners. Dobbs would then follow with a three-run home run, which was just out of the reach of Tatis’ glove, his eighth home run of the year, to give the Phillies a 5-0 lead. The Phillies would make it 6-0 four batters later, as Jimmy Rollins would hit a RBI double on a fly ball that would fall in between shortstop Jose Reyes and left fielder Nick Evans, scoring Ruiz, who got on base with a double and would then move to third on Moyer’s ground out, pitcher to first. Moyer would then get control of the game, keeping the Mets from getting more than two infield singles off of him before he is finally taken out of the game after pitching seven shut out innings. Scott Eyre would be given the ball for the eighth. After getting out the first two batters, Eyre would run into some temporary buzzard luck. Nick Evans would get on base with a double. David Wright would follow with a double, scoring Evans, and making it 6-1 Phillies. Carlos Beltran would then hit the third straight Mets’ double, scoring Wright, making it 6-2 Phillies. Beltran would then go to third on Greg Golson’s fielding error. Eyre would finally end the inning by striking out Carlos Delgado, although he would be poed by his performance as he kicked the dirt on the way to the dugout. The Phillies would then send Ryan Madson to start the ninth. After striking out Tatis, Madson would give up a single to Damion Easley. Charlie Manuel would then come out and replace him with J.C. Romero. Romero would then get pinch hitter Daniel Murphy to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the ballgame.

Jamie Moyer would get the win as he pitches seven shut out innings of two hit ball. His record is now 13-7 with an ERA of 3.64. Scott Eyre would pitch an inning, giving up two earned runs on three hits while striking out two. Ryan Madson and J.C. Romero would combine for a scoreless ninth, giving up only one hit (Madson). Pedro Martinez would receive the lost as he went only four innings, giving up six earned runs on seven hits. His record is now 5-4 with a 5.44 ERA. Brandon Knight, Scott Schoeneweis, Aaron Heilman, Pedro Feliciano, Nelson Figueroa and Duaner Sanchez would pitch a combine total of five scoreless innings, giving up only two hits (Heilman and Sanchez one hit apiece).

The Phillies’ offense would do a lot of damage against Pedro Martinez, knocking in six runs, and doing it with four doubles and a home run, as they made him throw a lot of pitches before he is finally removed before the start of the fifth inning. At the same time, Jamie Moyer would keep the Mets off-balance for seven innings, giving up only two infield singles.

The second game of the doubleheader will be a battle between team aces that will be televised nationally on ESPN. The game will be played at Shea Stadium and will start at 8:05 pm Eastern. The Phillies’ (78-64) starter will be Cole Hamels (12-8, 3.01), who is coming off a win against the Nationals on September 2, as he went seven and one-third shut out innings, giving up five scattered hits, in the Phillies’ 4-0 win. Hamels has won three of his last four starts, all quality starts, while being dominating in the two starts that were shown before a national audience. He will be trying for his thirteenth win, while trying to win his third straight start in the national spotlight, and put the Phils back into a first place tie with the Mets. The Mets (79-63) will counter with Johan Santana (12-7, 2.71), who is coming off a no-decision against the Brewers on September 1, as he went six innings, giving up two earned runs on seven hits, in the Mets’ 4-2 win. In his last start against the Phillies on August 27 he would leave the game early, receiving a no-decision as he went only six innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits, in the Mets’ 6-3 come from behind win. His record against the Phillies in four previous starts is 1-0 with three no-decisions. He will be trying for his second win against the Phillies while trying to keep the Phillies’ offense quiet.

The Phillies are now trailing the Mets by a game as they prepare for the second game of the day/night doubleheader, while staying six and a half games ahead of the Marlins as they lost their last two games against the Cardinals. In the wild card chase, the Phillies are now trailing the Brewers by three and a half games, as the Brewers split their last two games with the Padres, and are a game and a half in front of the Cardinals and two and a half in front of the Astros. The Phillies will be trying for a sweep of the Mets, to leave New York City tied for the National League East lead.

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